Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance
by Annie D
Summary: Follow up to Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Midway. Sakura finally gets the bonk on the head that she deserves. Ridiculously mushy.
1. Part 1

  
**Warnings**: Features _~mush~_ so be warned.   
**Disclaimer**: Hello. Takehiko Inoue owns Slam Dunk.   
**Notes**: This is a continuation of the _Identity Crisis _stories, and the second of the _Ore Wa Tensai Sakura_ trilogy, hence can only be read after _Midway_.   
  


**Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance**   
Part 1 

by Annie D   
the_80s_chick@lycos.com 

  
  


"The only reason you're captain is because you're a guy!" 

"The only reason you're vice-captain is because there's no other seniors." 

"Nani?!" 

***** 

Takemoto Sakura was angry. Not an unusual event, since the slightest thing could inflame her already fragile temper, but she was in an angry fix that had been hitting her at a regularity too close for comfort. The activity of the moment: reflecting her bad luck. 

For starters, she was not captain of the Shohoku basketball team. Anzai-sensei had made the announcement at the beginning of the school year a few weeks prior, and she had exploded. It was sexism, it was! After all, she was the basketball tensai, and a key asset to the team. Still he hadn't chosen her! Why why why? 

Secondly, Rukawa Kaede was the one that had taken the position. Her rival on and off the court, always showy and arrogant and selfish, _he _had been chosen as captain. But what use was he? He barely spoke at all and he didn't really care about the team, what was the point of making him captain? He couldn't lead Shohoku to win! 

Thirdly, said arrogant Rukawa had become her classmate, and was currently fast asleep on the desk next to her. When school had opened and everyone had arrived in their classes, he had gone and taken the window seat. The window seat! That place was hers! She _always _had the window seat at Shohoku! How dare he! 

Sakura stole a glance at him. He was breathing softly against the folds of his sleeves. 

_Stupid stupid stupid. _Sakura, who usually slept in class, hadn't been able to nap at all since school started because every time she entered the class and saw him there – sitting IN WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HER PLACE – she got so irritated that she spent 90% of the time fuming. The remaining 10% of the time was spent trying to look like she was paying attention to the teacher. 

And while she was constantly fighting down the urge to beat him senseless, what was the boy doing? He was sleeping! SLEEPING! While _she _was suffering in class, he was off in Z land! HOW DARE HE?! 

Sakura grabbed the edges of her desk with her fingers, as a massive vein started to throb at the corner of her temple. All the students around her simultaneously inched as far as they could away from her in a way reminiscent of innocent villagers backing away from a rumbling volcano. 

_Stupid kitsune. Stupid kitsune. Stupid kitsune._

She looked at him again, gritting her teeth as her face heated up. 

_If I can't sleep, neither can you!_

"Sensei! Rukawa is sleeping in class again!" Sakura shouted, her arm jumping straight up. 

The teacher slowly turned around. Behind his overly thick spectacles, he looked at Rukawa, then sighed. "Let him sleep. It won't do much good to wake him up, anyway." Besides, all the teachers knew what would happen if they tried… 

"But students cannot sleep in class because then they cannot concentrate on the lesson!" Sakura insisted. 

Rukawa moved slightly. "Do'aho." 

A shudder of fear rippled through the students. They had been through this routine often enough to know what could, and sometimes did, happen. 

Neck muscles jerking slowly, Sakura turned to look at him. This was always the pivotal point, the moment when Sakura's willpower and control was put to the test. Her eyes twitched out of sync, and then her arm quickly shot up again. "Sensei, may I be excused to the washroom?!" 

"Yes, yes, Takemoto-san. Go, take your time," the teacher said quickly. 

All the students sighed with relief as Sakura got up and stiffly marched out of the class. A brief respite, but a respite all the same. 

Class was peaceful for a few seconds before they heard a loud BANG that they knew was the sound of one very tough forehead being slammed against a concrete wall or floor. 

After a while, Sakura returned to class, looking a bit more subdued. She sat down at her seat quietly as peace resumed in the room. 

They knew it wouldn't last for long, though. 

***** 

Akagi Haruko, manager of the Shohoku basketball team, looked around the gym with a soft but proud smile. She was an optimist, because there wasn't anything else she could be with that endlessly cheerful disposition of hers. The oncoming basketball season was going to be a good one, and the tingly feeling in her stomach was a sure sign of that. 

So they had lost the first game of the Inter High the previous year. That was then, this was now. Rukawa was the new captain, and she was sure that he would lead them to victory after victory. 

Speak of the devil… Rukawa entered the gym in his sports garb, and he headed straight to the bench to talk to… Oh, Anzai-sensei. 

Biting down disappointment, Haruko turned back toward the door to see Sakura enter with her typical same vaguely annoyed expression on her face. Haruko had never really disapproved of the way that Sakura tended to pick fights with Rukawa, because the competition did them good on the court. All Haruko needed to do was to make sure the fights didn't get past verbal threats, which was an easy accomplishment as Sakura was always ready to hear reason. (*_snort_*) 

The gundam appeared in the doorway, and they waved at her. She waved back, then turned her attention to Sakura. 

"How are you feeling about the new year, Sakura-chan?" Haruko asked her. 

"We're going to win," Sakura said solemnly. "It's going to be a good year." 

Haruko nodded, pleased that Sakura was already ready. _And it's our last chance, too…_

Suddenly Sakura started to swing her arms outward wildly in an over-enthusiastic pose. "Have no fear because it isssssssss the Year of the Tensa—" _~rip~_

Haruko blinked. "What was that?" 

Sakura carefully lowered her arms and tried her damndest not to blush. She failed. "It's a good omen, that's what it is," she whispered, pointedly ignoring her gundam's snickering. "Good omen. Err, Haruko-san, would you happen to have a spare bra-strap?" 

***** 

It was also the last chance for things other than basketball. Rukawa, for example, _still _hadn't told Sakura the fact that he was quite head over heels for her. It had been a while since he had first realised that fact himself, but the task of putting it into presentable words was the challenge that he hadn't foreseen the difficulty of. 

He had told himself he'd tell her after winning nationals. Hadn't happened. 

He told himself he'd wait for Sakura's crush on Haruko to wane. Didn't happen. 

He told himself he'd find the right moment to tell her. It never presented itself. 

Stalling again seemed the only other option, although it brought no comfort to Rukawa, who perceived himself as one who could change the flow of a desolate situation all on his own. Still, that was basketball, this was love. He had plenty of experience in the former, absolutely none in the latter. 

He wasn't good with words, either. He found them tedious. Action was the only way to go, which was why everyone defined him by who he was on the court. So did Sakura, but she was somehow able to see past that into who he was. They were alike in many ways but different, too. Rukawa loved that in her. He loved that she understood him, even if by understanding him she hated him. He loved her ability to truly live. He loved everything about her. 

Now if he could only find a way to tell her that. 

***** 

"Ore wa tensai basket Sakura kawaii…" 

"Sakura, look it's Haruko!" 

"Haruko-san?" 

"April Fool!" 

"Nani?!" 

"… Look, it's just a joke, no no wait, hey don't—!" 

"Nobody makes fun of the tensai!" 

Sakura stepped over Yohei, who had a steaming bump on his forehead, and entered her class. She carefully kept her eyes on the blackboard while crab-walking to her desk so she wouldn't have to see the _kitsune _sitting there at the next desk. 

She sat down once she finally reached her desk, and was still careful to make sure she didn't look at him. 

That was when she saw the small box on her desk. 

"Hm?" Sakura picked it up slowly and turned it over a few times in her hands. It was small enough to just about fit into her palm, and was wrapped in bright red paper. She turned her head cautiously around to see whether anyone was watching her, but there was no sign of anyone who could be the culprit. She risked a look at Rukawa, but the idiot was fast asleep. 

She put the box down and stared at it for a while longer. Another April Fool's joke? Should she risk it? 

The tensai is not afraid of anything! 

Carefully, she tore the paper off and lifted the lid of the small white box, peering just enough into it in case there were spiders or itching powder or something of the kind within. 

She did gasp, but it was not in terror or anger. 

Slowly, she lifted the small trinket out of the box. It was a keychain, but not the kind for every day use. It was the kind one kept on a heavy velvet cushion behind the thick glass of a locked display cabinet. 

The chain was heavy silver, at the end of which was a small crystal basketball. And solidified within the crystal basketball was a very tiny sakura bud. (To those who don't know, the sakura is the cherry blossom flower.) 

Her mouth dropped open. It was beautiful! Beyond beautiful, it was like… Even as a simple person who knew nothing about crystal or glasswork, she could see perfect craftsmanship for what it was. Never before had she seen anything like it anywhere, and it sure as hell looked bloody expensive. She was afraid to touch it, so she quickly put it back into the box where she gazed at it with impressed surprise. 

"Sakura, what's that?" 

She looked up see Yohei standing by her desk, rubbing the bump on his forehead. Sakura pointed a finger at the keychain numbly. 

"Wow, where did you get that?" Yohei asked, taking a closer look. 

"It was just here," Sakura said softly. "There was no note or anything. If it's an April Fool's gag, then the joke's on whoever left it here." 

Over Sakura's head, Yohei stole a look at Rukawa. "So you gonna keep it?" 

"No idea," Sakura said truthfully, still staring at the crystal basketball. "Maybe someone left it here by mistake." 

"Maybe." Yohei saw Rukawa open an eye before shutting it again quickly. Yohei smiled. "But I have a feeling it's for you. Look, there's a sakura bud and everything." 

Sakura finally pulled her eyes away from the box to look at Yohei. "But why?" 

"Isn't today your birthday?" 

"No." Then she remembered. "Well, sort of. Hanamichi's birthday anyway." 

"There you go." 

Sakura clasped her hands together, her eyebrows dipping into something like anxiety. "But who would want to give me something like _this_?" 

Yohei shrugged innocently. 

Sakura suddenly glared at him. "I know it's not you." 

"Of course not," Yohei chuckled good-naturedly. "I have better things to spend with my money, thank you." 

Sakura ran over the short list of friends she had over in her head, but none of them would get her something like this, ever. There was no one else who knew that she was Sakuragi in her past life either. Then who? 

She ever so gently pushed the box away from her. "I can't keep it. It's too nice." 

Yohei pushed the box back into her hands. "Keep it, Sakura. It would be insulting to the giver if you didn't." 

Sakura looked at it, then sighed, her mouth moving into a grateful smile. "Whoever you are, thank you." 

Quietly, Rukawa smiled too. _You're welcome._

***** 

The rest of the day had Rukawa floating on optimism. Sakura's reaction to the gift had been even better than he had hoped. At first he had planned to put a note with it, but when it came down to actually writing it, he had no idea what to say. _Hey, look, I know you hate me and you think I hate you, but actually I've been in love with you all this while, so how about it?_

April Fool's joke, indeed. 

Going anonymous had its risks too, but the look on Sakura's face when she saw the keychain was totally worth it. 

He didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed that Sakura had immediately written him off as definitely not being the one who had given her the present. Well, there was no other candidate for it. Who else knew she had been Sakuragi? Who else would bother with such a lavish present? 

As Rukawa headed toward the gym for after school practice, one such possible answer was visually presented to him, and it made his blood run cold. 

Leaning against the gate of the school was Sendoh Akira. 

And if it wasn't bad enough that Sendoh was there, so was Sakura. Talking to him. _Talking to him! Like an old friend!_

Rukawa immediately shuffled into a shadow spot behind a bunch of trees to hear the conversation. 

***** 

"So why are you here then?" Sakura asked. She had just been walking along to the gym for basketball practice when Sendoh had called out to her from the gate. She had been surprised to see him _at all_, since it hadn't even crossed her mind that she'd see him ever again after he graduated from high school. But since her mood was rather good since the appearance of the mystery keychain, so she had bounded over to him in good spirits. 

"Oh, I just wanted to see how your team was coming along," said Sendoh. 

"Hmph. Not spying for Ryonan, are you?" Sakura asked with a small sneer. "Don't tell me you're bitter we beat you last year, eh?" 

"No, don't be silly, that's all in the past," chuckled Sendoh, waving it off. He watched her carefully for a few seconds, then leaned close to whisper, "Happy birthday." 

Sakura's eyes widened. "You…?" 

"Hello, Sakuragi," Sendoh said softly. 

_Could it be? Sendoh? SENDOH?! _Sakura blinked a few times. "How did you know?" 

Sendoh shrugged, quite pleased with himself that he had gotten her to confess without much fuss. "I've seen quite a bit of strange things in my life – don't even start with my hair. A supernatural body switch doesn't compare much, really. And besides, you stand out so much it was impossible not to notice." 

Sakura laughed, then flashed a peace sign. "The tensai is always the tensai, no matter where or how." 

"Hai," Sendoh agreed. 

She smiled at him. _So he was the one that gave me the present. Sakura looked away for a while. How can I break it to him that the tensai already likes someone else? He's nice and all, but Haruko-san is much nicer. And it was such a great gift, I must be tactful, cannot hurt his feelings. *Sigh* It's not his fault really, since the tensai is so pretty and all…_

"Are you free after practice?" Sendoh asked. 

_Ah, perfect! _Sakura nodded. "A match?" 

"I was thinking more along the lines of dinner." 

"Oh, that's okay, too." 

***** 

"What the hell's wrong with Rukawa?" Nori asked Haruko. "He's playing like he's possessed or something!" 

Haruko looked at Rukawa with concern. Practice was certainly not going on as normal. The moment Rukawa entered the gym, he had glared at everyone and then gone and started a practice game with no warm-ups, and he was playing like… like… 

A sophomore yelped as Rukawa hacked his ball violently. 

"Rukawa-kun!" Haruko shouted. 

"What's wrong with you, kitsune?!" Sakura shouted as she moved to block him. 

Rukawa glared at her for a moment before charging. Sakura immediately stretched her arms to try and steal the ball, but Rukawa twisted past her defence, then ran for the hoop. 

Nakajima jumped to block him, but Rukawa's eyes could only see the imminent dunk and he ignored the other player. As his arm shot out to make the dunk, his elbow slammed hard against Nakajima's face. 

Nakajima cried out as fell down. 

The ball went in, but nobody was looking at it. 

"Nakajima-kun!" Haruko ran to him. "Are you okay?" 

The boy carefully removed his specs and checked it. The glass was still intact, so he gave a thumbs-up. 

Haruko, who had never _ever _gotten angry with her darling Rukawa, at that moment turned to fix upon him the fiercest look she could manage. "Rukawa-kun! You _saw _that he was there, why did you try and dunk? You knew you'd hit him!" 

Rukawa looked from Haruko to Nakajima. He shrugged, then walked away. 

Haruko started to run after him, but Sakura quickly blocked her way. "Don't bother talking sense to the kitsune," Sakura said, sighing dramatically. "He's finally realised the stress of being captain is too much for him to bear." Then she whispered conspiratorially, "Maybe you should consider a new captain, eh?" 

Craning her neck, Haruko peered past Sakura to see Rukawa. 

Anzai-sensei stood up and walked to Rukawa. He muttered a few words only the boy could hear, patted him on the shoulder and then sat back down. 

Rukawa stood perfectly still for a while as everyone watched him to see what his next move would be. Then he sighed and left the gym. 


	2. Part 2

  
**Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance**   
Part 2 

by Annie D   
the_80s_chick@lycos.com 

  
  


Walking back home after practice, it was clear that Sakura was in a good mood, which was a nice change after being continuously pissed off by the kitsune regularly week after week. Even her step had a light skip as she strolled with her mates through the town. 

"Can I ask why you're in a good mood, or will you hit me for being a busybody?" Takamiya asked. 

"Good mood?" Sakura asked airily. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

Yohei nudged Takamiya with his elbow. "She got a _present _today." 

"A pressssssent?" Ohkosu repeated, his voice teasing. "Who would give you a present?" 

"I _don't know_, just because _some people _forgot it was the tensai's _original birthday _doesn't mean that others wouldn't," Sakura said. 

"Show us!" Takamiya said. 

"No." 

"C'mon, show us, Sakura!" 

"No! You'll break it!" Sakura gave Takamiya a slight kick in the shins. 

"Show me!" Takamiya insisted, grabbing hold of Sakura's bag. 

"Stop it you baka!" Sakura snapped, wrestling with Takamiya over control of her bag. "I need to get back home quickly!" 

Takamiya paused, but his fingers remained clutched on her bag. "Why?" he asked slowly. 

"Because!" 

"Why?" Yohei, Ohkosu and Noma chorused. 

Sakura sputtered. "None of your business, that's why!" She yanked her bag free of Takamiya's grasp and dashed off into the distance. 

Her friends watched her leave in stunned silence. 

"That was strange," Takamiya said. 

Yohei smirked. "Stranger things shall happen. C'mon, let's go. She'll tell us whatever's going on later." 

The other three slowly turned their piercing gazes onto Yohei. "You know," Noma said. 

"You know what's going on," Ohkosu added. 

Yohei shrugged. "I'll tell you one thing. Sometimes Sakura can be so clueless she deserves nothing less than a whack on the head." 

***** 

Within the confines of her room, Sakura took the box containing the keychain from her dresser and put it into her sling bag. It was a shame she'd have to return the present – it was really something, she couldn't remember anyone ever giving her a present like that – but it wasn't really hers to keep. She checked herself in the mirror one last time – _the tensai is perfect! _– before exiting the room. 

She had just started down the stairs when her mother suddenly appeared at the foot of them, grinning broadly. "You have a date, Sakura?" her mother asked. 

Sakura face vaulted. "No." 

"Oh, that's strange," her mother said wickedly. "He's waiting for you in the living room." 

"Nani?!" Sakura jumped the last few steps and ran to the living room. 

Sendoh raised a hand. "Yo." 

Sakura's right eye twitched. "You told my mother this was a date?" 

Her mother made a proud little squeal as she pushed Sakura toward the tall boy. "Oh, this is so nice, isn't this nice, Sakura? You haven't been on a date in _ages_, it's nice to see you finally going on with your life. Oh, shoo shoo the two of you! Have fun!" 

The door slammed in their faces. Sakura scowled. 

"I thought I told you to wait outside," she mumbled as they turned and started walking. 

"She saw me from the window," said Sendoh, laughing a bit. "I didn't tell her it was a date, she just assumed it was. It wasn't my fault, really!" 

Sakura's face softened, and she sighed. "So where are we going?" 

"Just for some dinner," said Sendoh. "Then maybe we can talk a bit." 

***** 

_Of course _Rukawa was following the pair, even if that included him sliding from shadow to shadow as they strolled calmly down the street. He was a possessive male, wasn't he? Sakura was his, wasn't she? He saw her first, so what if he hadn't made a real move on her yet? Sendoh had absolutely no right to – _hey, take your slimy hand off her elbow!_

She laughed at something the spikey-haired boy said, and the sound drove a little nail into Rukawa's heart. 

She'd never laughed for _him _like that. _At _him, yes, with that tensai guffaw that was her trademark, but never just, you know, _laughed _for the sake of enjoying his company. True, he'd never actually given her the opportunity to, but that wasn't the point. 

The point was… the point was… 

_SHE'S MINE!_

***** 

Sendoh looked up from his spaghetti. "So you enjoying the, um… chicken basket?" 

"Yes, yes, Sendoh-san," Sakura said, chomping a healthy dose down. "Now I think we better get down to business." 

He looked at her. "Business?" 

"Hai," Sakura replied, nodding. "Why you came to Shohoku." 

He smiled. "I came to see you, of course." 

Sakura blushed a bit across her nose, and quickly covered it by laughing. "Hahahahaha! You flatter the tensai, Sendoh-san." She wagged a finger at him. "It won't do you much good, though." 

"Actually I came to ask you a question. A few questions, actually." 

Sakura cocked her head, curious. "Shoot." 

Sendoh carefully munched down the spaghetti and swallowed. "Well, for starters how about how you came back?" 

And so Sakura launched into the story (that is chronicled in _Identity Crisis_, which you should have read, *_ahem_*) which Sendoh listened attentively to, every now and then asking a question that Sakura would answer as best as she could. 

"And that's it, really," Sakura concluded, shrugging. "Hey, what are you doing now then?" 

"Oh, I'm at the North Kanagawa University," Sendoh said. "Doing economics." 

Sakura's eyes boggled. "Economics?" 

"I play basketball for the team, too," he added. "You didn't think I'd quit basketball, did you?" 

Sakura stared at him for a while. Suddenly she remembered what she had wanted to do, and quickly took out the box from her sling bag and put it on the table. "I'm very very grateful for the gift, Sendoh-san, but I just can't take it. I'm really sorry." She smiled apologetically. "It wouldn't be right." 

Sendoh's eyes moved to the box, then to her, then furrowed ever so slightly. "I didn't get you a gift." The implication of those words finally hit him, and he added quickly, "Do you want me to?" 

_Not Sendoh? _Sakura frowned. "This wasn't from you?" She opened the box and showed him the keychain. 

He shook his head. "I wish it _had _been me, though. It's beautiful." 

Sakura looked at the box, the little keychain twinkling happily within its padded home. Slowly, she closed the box and put it back in her bag. "Then who…?" 

"Is there anyone you like right now, Sakura? You don't mind if I call you Sakura, do you?" 

"Hm? No, it's okay." Her mind wandered off, trying to pinpoint the keychain culprit. 

"Err, I asked if there's anyone you like right now?" 

_Oh, right. Haruko_. Sakura bobbed her head. 

"Anything serious?" Sendoh looked cautious in his questioning. 

"Nyeh?" Sakura looked at him quizzically. Then she turned the question over in her head, something she had never considered before. She liked Haruko, indeed, but no, not serious in the way that Sendoh's eyes were boring into hers at the moment. But she did _too _like Haruko. "I don't think I know how to answer that one." 

"Anyone I know?" 

Sakura blushed. "Hai." 

"One of your teammates perhaps?" 

"Nani?! No!" 

"Oh." Sendoh leaned back into his chair and watched her for a while. He still seemed to be calculating something, but Sakura couldn't be bothered to notice. Finally Sendoh said, "Ah, nevermind then. Hey, finish up your chicken, it's gonna get cold." 

"Oh, oh. Right." _Who the hell gave me that damn keychain?_

***** 

Sakura's one-track mind refused to give up that particular line of thought as the night went on, even as her mouth managed to make light conversation with Sendoh. She hardly noticed how he was trying to get her attention, and how actually very charming and nice he was. What Sakura did notice was that he did not annoy her even once, which was a good thing, and by the time they reached her house, she had developed quite a good opinion of him. 

"Thank you for dinner," Sakura said, nodding gratefully. 

"Thank you for accompanying me," said Sendoh. "I'll come watch your games if I have time." 

Sakura grinned. "Be sure to support the basketball girl tensai, hahahahahahaha! This year is sure to be a good one, hmm hmm, I can feel it…" 

"Do you mind if I kiss you?" 

*_piku_* "Nani?" 

He laughed, a little nervously. "Uh, well, I know this isn't really a date and all but… Well… You're a very attractive person, Sakura-chan." 

She blushed liberally. Contrary to popular belief, Sakura had a rather low opinion of herself in such matters. Having being rejected 50 times in a previous life kinda does that to a person. She fixed her gaze on her toes. "Ah, well…" 

"So would you mind?" 

"Huh? Oh. Oh! Well, um… I don't really know how to, so, um…" 

"I could show you if you like." 

"Oh? Well then, um… This doesn't mean anything, you understand?" 

"Yes." Sendoh said gently. 

She regarded him, this time switching on her girl-view rather than using the usual monochrome vision she used to look at most other people she didn't know very well. He was quite attractive, even if the spiky hair did draw the eye a bit too much. Nice eyes, high cheekbones, _very _nice smile. "Well, okay then." 

There was the shock and embarrassment of first contact, but then his lips melted against hers. It was nice. Very nice, in fact. Wait, was that his _tongue_? Sakura shrieked a bit against his mouth but the firm grip of his hand against her nape prevented her from pulling away.   
Sendoh did eventually pull away, and he smiled at her rather googley-eyed expression. 

"Was that okay?" he asked. 

"Oh? Oh, yeah. Um, it was okay. Hahahahahahahaha! You should be honoured, Sendoh-san, you have the tensai's first kiss." Well, technically. 

"Did you feel anything?" he asked. 

"Huh?" 

"You know, explosion in your veins, fireworks, that kind of thing?" 

"No. Did you?" 

"No, unfortunately." He sighed. 

"So…" 

"Well, I guess that's it, really," Sendoh said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Not much chemistry between us, I guess. It was worth the try, though." 

Sakura peered up at him. "So that's it?"" 

Sendoh looked at her. "We can try again. Another, proper date, maybe?" 

Sakura looked at him uncertainly. "Would you be hurt if I tell you that you're too brotherly for me to think about you _that _way and now that I think about that kiss, although it was really _really _nice, its kinda icky because you're _you_?" 

Sendoh laughed. "No, I wouldn't be hurt at all. That's what I like about you. Your honesty." He reached out and gently pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll still come to your games when I can." 

"Oh, doumo." Sakura scratched behind her head a bit. She was a little slow in picking up things, and it was her tendency to push things aside when she couldn't make sense of them within a designated period of time. The tensai had better things to worry about. "Ah well, ja ne, Sendoh-san." 

"Ja ne, Sakura-chan." 

Sakura entered her house, and the gate clanged shut behind her. 

***** 

Sendoh watched Sakura shut the door, then turned to a particular clump of bushes nearby. "You can come out now, Rukawa-kun." 

Nothing moved. 

"I _know _you're there," he added, a bit too cheerfully. 

Rukawa's head popped out of the bushes. Without bothering to look at Sendoh, he walked away down the pavement. 

"You were lucky this time, Rukawa," Sendoh told him. "The next guy may be more aggressive, or have better chemistry with her." Rukawa continued to walk, so Sendoh jogged after him lightly and added, "You should have put a note with the keychain." 

Rukawa stopped walking. "Hm?" 

"Believe me, you should have put the note, or at least told her it was you as soon as she opened it. Bad move to stall there, Rukawa-san. You mark my words. With her temper, phew!" 

"Hm." He started to walk away again. 

"You're going to stall some more, aren't you?" Sendoh bounded alongside Rukawa. "I know you are, because that's what you do when you can't figure out what to do. I tell you this, you may still have almost a whole year left with her, but that time will fly, and faster than you think. Then before you know it, that last chance to tell her will have flown off." 

"I'll tell her in my own time." 

Sendoh sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Rukawa." He waved a bit, then started walking off in another direction. "Good luck!" 

***** 

"Hey, Sakura." 

"Yohei." 

"Have you figured out who gave you that keychain yet?" 

"Don't talk about that stupid keychain!" 

"Huh?" 

"It's giving me a headache. Don't talk about it." 

"…" 

"I'll probably sell it sometime or the other. Serve him right, whoever left it on my desk. Hmph." 

"Are you sure that's…?" 

"Shut up, Yohei. Don't ever talk about that keychain again. Ever." 

"Oh. Okay." 

***** 

Mission: Failed. 

Rukawa returned to his ground state of being, which consisted of brooding, brooding, playing basketball and brooding. Things pretty much returned to normal: sleeping in class, after school practice, annoying Sakura in practice while actually secretly watching her, after-after school practice, eat, sleep. 

Yay. 

Sendoh had been right about time flying by. The Inter High eliminations breezed past, with Shohoku still keeping the title as best in Kanagawa. The Inter High league was then opened to them, and they had tremendous victories, which should have been satisfying to Rukawa, but not when Sakura was still just there out of his grasp and still making puppy dog eyes at Haruko. 

He'd make a move. He told himself he would. But it was damn difficult when Sakura's happy eyes were only for Haruko and her angry eyes were mostly for him. 

He'd find the right time. Sure he would. It would turn up eventually. 

He just needed to be patient. 


	3. Part 3

  
**Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance**   
Part 3 

by Annie D   
the_80s_chick@lycos.com 

  
  


"I'm so excited, Sakura-chan!" Haruko exclaimed, bouncing on her little feet. 

For the first time in months, the 'excited' in question had nothing to do with basketball, nor the fact that they had been winning match after match after match in the Inter High. Neither did it have to do with the fact that there were one game – ONE GAME – away from winning nationals. In actuality, it had to do with the Shohoku High Senior Ball, which was just around the corner. An excuse to dress up was always good. 

"Hai!" Sakura agreed, nodding. 

"Will you be taking anyone?" Haruko asked the rest of the gundam. They had all gathered together to hang out outside the cafeteria during lunch break for the usual useless chatting when Haruko had come along. 

Immediately five faces went red. 

"Ah…" "Um…" "Well…" 

Takamiya watched as a pretty girl strolled past. He jumped to his feet and ran after her. "Will you go with me to the ball?!" 

Haruko sweatdropped, then giggled. "How about the rest of you?" 

"I think I'll go stag," said Yohei. 

"There's this freshman girl I think I might ask," said Noma. 

"I have no idea," said Ohkosu. 

"How about you, Sakura-chan?" Haruko asked. 

_Eeeeeek! _Sakura laughed. "Heh heh heh… Well…" 

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find someone, or someone'll find you," Haruko said chirpily. Suddenly her eyes went all heart-shaped, which was a sure sign that Rukawa had appeared somewhere in the immediate vicinity. 

Sakura steamed quietly until the heart-shaped effect went away and Haruko was back to coherent thinking. 

"Do… do you think Rukawa-kun will be going?" Haruko asked timidly. "I mean, I know there are many girls that like him and…" 

_You want to go with the kitsune?! _Sakura blanched, then scowled. "Don't know, don't care." _Hopefully he won't go at all, heh heh…_

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Haruko said suddenly, her eyes lighting up with an idea. "How about we go shopping together for outfits to wear at the ball? This is our last chance to do so, so we better get it done now. Fuji would be sure to come along, I'm not too sure about Akemi, though…" 

"Shopping? With you? Of course, I'd love to! Nyahahahahahaha!" 

"Great! How about this weekend? Then maybe afterward we can go over to my house and watch that Hideaki Takizawa show that's on." 

"Oh, he's so kawaii," Sakura, in total girlie mode, added seriously. 

Yohei looked at Sakura with an amused expression. "I'm sure." 

(To those who don't know, Hideaki Takizawa is a very kawaii young Jap actor who's famous for playing characters that are stoic, rarely smile, and perceived to be cold and distant, but in the end turn out to be total sweethearts. ^_^) 

In the background, the school bell rang. 

"Oh, we should be going. See you at practice, Sakura-chan!" Haruko said before running off. 

***** 

So Sakura was in a good mood. That was always a good sign. 

Rukawa watched through near-closed lids as Sakura crab-walked toward her desk, humming that ridiculous theme song of hers under her breath. After months of sitting next to her, he had perfected the art of watching her through a tiny slit of open eyes in order to let her think that he was sleeping. Well, okay, most of the time he _was _sleeping, but that wasn't the point. 

"Ore wa tensai… Hmm hmm hmm…" Sakura plopped into her seat. 

_You going to the ball with anyone, Sakura?_

"Hmm hmm… tensai tensai…" 

Rukawa willed the thought as hard as he could out of his head as though he were a transmitter, in the hopes that some brain would receive it. 

It may have worked, because then some silly girl he couldn't recognise came up to Sakura and asked just that. "Are you going to the ball with anyone, Sakura-san?" 

"Hmm? Oh, no, nobody's asked me or anything," Sakura said. "How about you, Fuji?" 

"Oh, Satou-san asked me during lunch break," the girl said, blushing a bit. "Is there anyone you want to go with?" 

The tell-tale blush appeared on Sakura's cheeks. "Ah, well… We'll see. Hey, Haruko-san and I want to go shopping for our outfits this weekend, Saturday I think. You want to come?" 

"Oh, I don't think so, I'm having my dress tailor made," the girl said. "You guys have fun, though." 

"Okay well, your loss." 

The other girl walked off and Sakura rocked in her chair a bit, still humming that theme song happily. The happy factor was because of Haruko, which in Rukawa's book, did _not _make it good timing to ask her. 

*_sigh_* More waiting was in order, it seemed. Damn. 

***** 

Shopping is a delicate art, as most girls would agree. One cannot be satisfied with merely just one dress, or one shop, or one shopping mall. One ought to scour as much of the market as possible before settling for the dress that would be absolute definite and without a doubt, THE ONE. Most guys don't agree with this point of view, though, but that's just guys. 

Sakura, having the internal wiring of both guy _and _girl, should have been torn apart by the need to search and the need to just quickly settle for one – _just any one for God's sake! _– but seeing that her shopping mate was Haruko, she was all: _pile on the shops and the dresses, woo hoo!_

"How about this one?" Haruko asked, lifting a baby blue spaghetti strap. 

"Oh, that'll look nice," Sakura said, nodding eagerly. 

Haruko giggled. "You've said that about everything I've tried on!" 

Sakura scratched her head. "Well, you'd look nice no matter what you wear." 

"Hee hee, thanks Sakura-chan. But seriously, I must find one that is… is… you know, one that will make me stand out. Then maybe Rukawa would… would…" She blushed. 

Sakura scowled at the blushing Haruko over a shelf. Trying to distract her from those thoughts, Sakura lifted an outfit from the hangers. "How about this for me?" 

Haruko sweatdropped. "That's a suit." 

"So?" 

"It's a _suit_." 

"I'm trying it on anyway." Sakura jogged off to the changing room. After a while she stepped out and struck a pose. "So how does the tensai look?" 

Haruko raised her eyebrows. "It's still a suit." 

"You think I should get a ladies pants-suit?" Sakura asked, tapping her forefinger against her chin. "The cut would be better and all…" 

Haruko giggled again and shook her head. "There you go, Sakuragi's taking over again." She smiled. "I think you should wear a dress. It's not often we get to dress up like this, Sakura-chan. And it's our final year and all…" 

"A dress?" Sakura pondered this. "Not a suit? I was hoping to wear a suit." 

"A dress," Haruko said firmly, stepping over to another selection to flip through the outfits. "Here, how about this?" 

"That's strapless. And it's got a bodice. And a slit." Sakura wrinkled her nose. "Too girlie-girl!" 

Haruko laughed. "Change out of that suit, Sakura, and let's find something right for both of us." Sakura started to open her mouth when Haruko raised her finger sternly. "A dress for you. No choice." 

Sakura sighed, but nodded in surrender. 

"Takemoto-san!" 

Sakura looked up just in time to see a tall girl walking toward them. It took her a moment, but once she did, she gave a little shriek of recognition.   
"Ryoko-san!" 

"Fancy meeting you here," Ryoko said. "This your friend?" 

Sakura nodded. "Err, Haruko-san, this is Ryoko, a friend from my old school." 

"Old school?" Haruko asked, slightly confused. 

"_Old. School._" Sakura blinked meaningfully. "She was the volleyball captain when I left." 

"Oh. Oh! Pleased to meet you, Ryoko-sempai," Haruko said, bowing. "I'm Akagi Haruko." 

"Ah yes, the Shohoku team manager, I'd read about you somewhere. Don't look so surprised, Miyuki-san." Sakura blinked at the usage of her old name as Ryoko continued, "Once we heard that you'd joined your new school's basketball team, we were very stunned. And quite proud of you, actually. Even though you never kept in touch with us." 

"Err, well…" Sakura scratched her head in embarrassment. 

Ryoko gave a stern but gentle smile. "It's great to see that you've settled in well into your new school." 

Sakura gave a genuine satisfied smile. "Thank you. I'm really sorry for losing touch with you guys… How is everyone doing? And is there anything I can do to make up for—for—for?" 

"Everyone not doing too shabbily, if I do say so myself," Ryoko said. "Actually there _is _one thing you can do, now that you're this hotshot basketball player for Shohoku…" 

Sakura grinned. "Anything." 

Ryoko took out a pink card about the size of her palm and gave it to Sakura, who scrutinised it. Ryoko cleared her throat. "Erm. Can you get Rukawa Kaede's autograph for me?" 

Sakura's head shot up so quickly it was a surprise that she didn't sprain her neck right there and then. 

Haruko giggled. "You're a fan of his." 

"My sister is," Ryoko said, a little too quickly. "I… I better go… You can get that signed for me, right? I'll be seeing you, Miyuki-san. Ja ne." She walked off. 

"Ja ne!" Haruko called to Ryoko's retreating back. "She was nice. Wasn't she nice?" 

Sakura calmly gave the little pink card to Haruko. "Can you get the autograph for her? I don't think I'll be able to stomach asking for his… his…" 

Haruko took the card. "Aww, Sakura-chan, you can be so silly sometimes." She giggled. 

While it was customary for Sakura to blush at such a moment, this time she merely managed to give a sickened little smile. She _was _allergic to Rukawa Fangirls, after all. 

***** 

"You're so predictable when it comes to Rukawa," Haruko sighed. 

Sakura sighed. "Oh, come _on_, Haruko-san. Are you still on that topic?" 

After a whole day of manic dress-shop visiting, Sakura and Haruko finally settled on what they wanted, paid for it, then took refuge at the Akagi household where they spent the early evening eating popcorn in front of the telly. 

"Hmm," Haruko muttered, flicking a fallen piece of popcorn off her top. "It's been a fun day, hasn't it? I think this has been out first time just the two of us have gone out together, other than the times we went looking for your shoes." 

Sakura gave a gleeful little smile and quietly threw some popcorn into her mouth. She _was _feeling more comfortable around Haruko, if at least that meant that she had finally stopped blushing every single time the girl spoke. "Yup. It's been nice." 

"I've been meaning to ask this for a while now…" Haruko said slowly. "It's just that I didn't know how to put it into words before. Erm. Oh, please don't get mad at me okay?" 

"Mad at you? Never!" Sakura nodded earnestly. 

"What do you think about Rukawa?" 

Sakura's facial expression stiffed. "Rukawa?" 

Haruko looked at her hands shyly. "Yes, Rukawa-kun." 

Sakura gave an almost inaudible sigh, then leaned back to scrutinise her friend. She simply could not understand how Haruko, sweet wonderful kind Haruko, could possibly have a crush on the _kitsune _of all people. It was so _wrong_, and not only because the conversation topic of that day had skewed toward Rukawa almost every ten minutes, for reasons Sakura could not understand. She shook her head in disbelief. "Why do you like him, Haruko-san?" 

Haruko's gaze drifted off. "Well… He's… He's such a good basketball player." 

"Just basketball?" 

"Well, no… He's good-looking and… well, _very _good-looking…" She giggled. 

_Basketball and good looks? _Sakura scowled. _How can you like someone for reasons as material as those? _"Is that it?" 

Haruko looked at Sakura in surprise. "What do you mean?" 

"I mean, is that _it_? Why you like him, it's just because of that?" 

"Well…" 

Sakura felt the anger bubble in the pit of her stomach. And so she aimed all of it at Rukawa, as such was the default setting of her target-seeking anger missiles. "What about _him_? You don't know anything about him! Good looks, psssh. Basketball talent, psssh. That's all those dumb cheerleaders see in him." 

"It's not just that!" Haruko said, her voice rising shrilly. 

"Then what?" 

Haruko herself started to look a bit angry. "You should know, Sakura-chan. You should know him better than I do, having played with him for so long. Why don't _you _tell _me _about who he is?" 

Sakura paused. She had never actually thought about Rukawa past the always _I-can't-stand-you-because-Haruko-likes-you-and-you're-better-than-me-on-the-court-not-that-I'd-admit-it _thoughts that circulated her head. 

"He plays for himself, I know that much." 

"Not anymore," Haruko said firmly. "Haven't you noticed? He passes more, does team plays more. Don't tell me you haven't noticed." 

Sakura started in surprise, and her memory flashed back into the numerous games they had played recently. Her eyebrows jumped up. Goodness gracious, Haruko was right! The kitsune _had _become more of a team player! Why hadn't she noticed? Maybe that had been because she could barely ever think straight whenever the kitsune had the ball. She felt rather embarrassed that she hadn't. 

"He changed his playing style since before the Inter High eliminations last year, I can't believe you haven't noticed," Haruko said, sighing. 

_Before the Inter High eliminations? _A particular scene in a particular basketball court suddenly popped up in her mind's eye. 

_You play for yourself, not for your team._

She had told him that, hadn't she? It had been said in passing, in the heat of the moment. She hadn't even thought the kitsune had been listening! Well, maybe he hadn't, maybe it was just coincidence. That was more likely. 

"Okay, I'm sorry," Sakura said softly. "I admit, he's more of a team player now." 

"What else?" Haruko pressed. "Come on, Sakura, I know you can't stand him, but please, don't talk about him like he's a cockroach or something, especially not in front of me. You're my friend, Sakura. Tell me, what else?" 

Sakura leaned forward onto her folded knees, eyebrow scrunched up as she struggled to think. Such a request for her to spout Rukawa's good points would have impossible on any other day, but this was Haruko asking. And since the ball was already rolling, it made it a teensy weensy bit easier… 

"He's determined," Sakura said finally. "He doesn't give up when he wants something. And he's loyal." 

"And he's a good captain," Haruko added, pleased that Sakura's rather narrow mind was opening up. "He watches out for the rest of the team." 

Sakura looked at Haruko through narrow disbelieving eyes. "Does he?" 

"Sure he does," Haruko said. "What, you thought he riles you on because he's got nothing better to do? No, it's because that's his way of firing you up to play!" 

Sakura blinked slowly. 

"Rukawa was the one who recommended point guard training for you last year," Haruko told her. "He told me his idea himself. Doesn't that go to show that there's more to him that you think? Doesn't it?" 

"_He _recommended the training for me?" 

"Yes, and it was a good idea," Haruko said. "You were so upset about your height at the time, having point guard training really was the best idea to stop letting you from getting all upset about not being able to dunk and rebound." 

"_Rukawa _did that?" 

"Hm-hm!" Haruko said, head nodding quickly. 

Sakura managed to manoeuvre her mouth into an almost O. 

"And there's one more thing…" Haruko said, starting to blush again furiously. "I know this may sound silly, but…" 

"Hm?" 

"Well…" Haruko eyes sparkled brightly. "Everyone says he's cold and distant, but… You see, I believe that someone who keeps to himself as much as he does has the greatest potential to love. It's like, well, he keeps all of his emotions wrapped up within him, not sharing it with anyone, so, the person that _does _get through to him will… will be the luckiest person in the world." 

Sakura stared. 

"That's why I like him," Haruko said, finishing off her speech. "I hope to somehow reach into that emotional core I believe he has within him, waiting to be unleashed." 

_Love? The kitsune?_

"Haruko-san, I think I need to go home now. It's getting rather late, and…" 

"Oh, so it is," Haruko said, glancing at the clock on top of the telly. "Oh, that's all right then. I'll see in school on Monday." 

"Uh… hai." 

***** 

The sidewalk was dimly lit from the lamplights, not that Sakura noticed. She was too busy in her own thoughts, and might as well have been walking through the gunfire of ground zero for all she knew. 

For the first time since she had known Rukawa, she was thinking about him from a different point of view. It scared her. 

_He passes more, does team plays more. Don't tell me you haven't noticed.___

_Rukawa was the one who recommended point guard training for you.___

_What, you thought he riles you on because he's got nothing better to do? No, it's because that's his way of firing you up to play!_

He cared? Rukawa actually cared about something other than his own glory? Was it possible? Why hadn't she noticed? Why hadn't she seen it?   
Various scenes replayed themselves in her mind. Rukawa riling her after she had had a bad performance on court, which had resulted in her getting so angry she played one of her best games ever. Rukawa watching her whenever she was scolding herself mentally. Rukawa always having some comment or the other whenever she messed up, which inevitably caused her to try her best _not _to mess up. 

Rukawa getting her to fight him in order to lift her out of the depression of losing the Inter High last year. 

_Oh my god._

Sakura had hated him so long and so much, that the sudden switch of perspective flooded all her thoughts all at once. The fact of the matter is this: if you hate someone with as much passion as she did Rukawa, you could just as easily love them with the equal amount of passion, if not more. All you needed was a push in the right direction and everything would slam into place, like a compass needle. 

_No no no no no no no…_

She was not thinking about Rukawa like this! She wasn't! He was her rival! 

_I believe that someone who keeps to himself as much as he does has the greatest potential to love._

Sakura would never admit it, but she was a simple-minded one-track person. Her train of thought would either go this way or the other, and rarely ever paused to switch tracks. The belief that Rukawa was nasty, horrid, cold, selfish and arrogant and all other terrible things had been imprinted in her head not because she thought they were true, but because she had wanted to believe they were true. 

Now that another possibility had opened itself up to her, one where Rukawa was actually capable of caring and had a heart to do it with, that particular steaming locomotive charged through her brain and sent an express delivery of realisation straight into her own heart. 

_Oh no._

Sakura slammed her forehead against the sidewalk. 


	4. Part 4

  
**Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance**   
Part 4 

by Annie D   
the_80s_chick@lycos.com 

  
  


Sunday passed all too quickly, and it was Monday again. A school day. 

Sakura had been on edge ever since the talk with Haruko, and the anxiety multiplied at a logarithmic rate with each step she took to school. 

How was she supposed to act now? Sakura was not a subtle person, and was an open book to anyone who had vision in half an eye. How could she go to school since he was in her class? And sitting next to her no less? How could she go to practice? How could she play with him? How the hell could she continue her life?! 

He'd laugh at her. Well, no, Rukawa never laughed, but he'd certainly derive immense morbid amusement from seeing that she was now so… crazy for him? She most certainly couldn't force herself to use the l-word. Being rejected 50 times by girls she had only briefly considered kind of pretty was nothing against being rejected by someone who flared up her heart so much that whenever he was around he became her entire damn _world_. 

Sakura slammed her head against the outer wall of the school. 

She leaned back and let the tremor shudder her brain, hopefully letting the pieces of her mind settle into a more suitable arrangement. 

"Sakura-chan?" 

Sakura turned and saw Haruko watching her from the school gate. Good god, she had completely forgotten about Haruko! 

And just over Haruko's shoulder she saw Rukawa cycling toward school. 

If Sakura's heart did a little flip whenever she saw Haruko, it did an honest-to-goodness 360 rollercoaster super twist before jumping into her throat and plunging into her stomach when she saw Rukawa. 

_Oh no._

Sakura looked at Haruko, who had also noticed approaching Rukawa. The brown-haired girl immediately blushed. 

_Haruko still likes Rukawa. Oh no._

Sakura slammed her forehead one more time. 

There was a screech of a bike's wheels braking. "What are you doing, do'aho?" 

No anger. Just a tremble through every muscle in her body, as if those very words were caressing her skin. 

Sakura screamed and ran off. 

***** 

Rukawa watched Sakura disappear off into the distance, the smoke trail clearly marking the pathway and the speed at which she had taken off. 

_What the hell was that all about? _he wondered. 

"Ohayo, Rukawa-kun." 

Rukawa looked down into the smiling face of Haruko. He felt the same pang of annoyance he got whenever he saw the girl, but managed a decent nod before turning to enter the school grounds. 

***** 

Rukawa creaked his eyelids open ever so slightly. The desk next to him was still empty, and it was already third class of the day. 

_Where is she?_

***** 

"Are you sure Sakura-chan didn't go to class?" Haruko asked Fuji. "I saw her at the gate this morning. She ran off for some reason, but I was sure she'd go to class." 

"She didn't go to class, I'm positive. Trust me, we'd know." 

"Even if she didn't go to class, she'd come to practice," said Haruko, who looked around the gym as though hoping that Sakura would miraculously pop out of thin air. "She'd never skip _practice_." 

Rukawa looked out the double doors of the gym, hoping for a sign of the red-head do'aho. _Where are you?_

***** 

The answer to that question was this: Sakura was hiding in her room, head stuffed under her oversized pillow. Her little legs (okay, so they weren't _that _little) had brought her home on instinct for a safe haven, and she practically flew up the stairs into her room. Her mother was at work, lucky for her. 

_How can I go to school? How can I face him? How can I face her?_

The ball was the coming weekend. The national finals were the week after. School didn't matter much, and the ball was still optional (even if she had already paid for the ticket) but NATIONAL FINALS. Everything they had worked for. Shohoku had never gotten that far, ever! Even her oversized tensai ego couldn't save her from this one. 

_Stupid kitsune. Stupid kitsune. Stupid kitsune._

The phone rang. 

Sakura took the receiver numbly. "Moshi moshi?" 

"Sakura-chan, you're okay! Oh, I was so worried something had happened to you." 

Sakura swallowed. "Haruko-san. I… I'm not feeling well." 

"Oh, I see. Anything I can do to help?" 

"No, no, I'm okay on my own." 

"Will you be coming to school tomorrow?" 

"Oh. I don't know." 

"… I hope you get better. Um… I don't mean to sound pushy, but how long do you think this bug will last? Do you think you'll be able to go to the ball?" 

"I… honestly don't know." Sudden tears pricked her eyes. Haruko had been so looking forward to going, and seeing her there… An idea suddenly popped into her head, one that could possibly solve everything. "You know…" she managed a fake laugh, "…I was just thinking about what you said about Rukawa." 

"Oh?" 

"Maybe you could ask him to the ball." 

"Nani? Oh, no I couldn't possibly do that…" 

"Why not? You like him enough, don't you?" Something within Sakura started to crack. She bit it down. "But it's your choice, really." 

"… Maybe… I'll… I'll think about it." 

"Do that," Sakura said, her voice strangely distant even to her own ears. _If they're together, they could make each other happy. Haruko would be happy, Rukawa would be happy. And I'll be able to survive as long as I see that *they're* happy. And this way, I'll be able to focus in class and in basketball. Yes, the tensai's best idea yet._

But the strongest bit that clinched the decision was this: Haruko had liked him first. And Sakura cared about her, even if it was turning out to be in only a sisterly way and not the way she had thought for so long. 

"Ja ne, Haruko-san." 

"Ja ne." Click. 

She stared at the phone, then lifted the receiver again to dial another number. 

_Ring-ring. Ring-ring. _Click. A guy's voice. "Moshi moshi?" 

"Sendoh?" 

***** 

Rukawa woke up just in time to avoid hitting the heavyset tree that had been planted in the school courtyard. He calmly swerved past it and rode on, narrowly avoiding a bunch of shrieking girls, a trash-can and a teacher. 

While parking his bike he immediately switched on his Sakura radar to its highest detection setting. The girl hadn't gone to class or practice three days in a row, and it was worrying him. He had overheard Haruko telling Anzai-sensei that the do'aho was sick, which could be possible, although one couldn't be too sure with the likes of her. 

_Subject acquired._

She was walking with her gundam friends alongside the main school building, and they were busy chatting amongst themselves. Rukawa noted that she did look a little sick with slight circles under her eyes and her skin was a shade paler, so maybe the leave of absence wasn't just a ploy to skip class. 

He strolled along nonchalantly within hearing distance behind them. 

"So did you ask that freshman girl you wanted to?" Sakura asked Noma. 

"She rejected me," he said, sighing heavily. Yohei thumped him on the back. 

"We can all go stag together!" Yohei laughed. "Takamiya didn't get a date, either." Takamiya grunted. 

"Oh, I'm not going stag," Sakura said. Rukawa almost fell over. 

"Rrrrrreally?" Takamiya asked, sidling up to her. "Who is it?" 

"Sendoh." 

"Nani?!" they all chorused together. 

Sakura shrugged. "He was available, so I asked him, and he said yes. That's all there is, really." 

"Whoa, Sakura, you've got much better luck in the love department as a girl then you did as a guy," Takamiya laughed. 

Sakura thumped Takamiya over the head with her fist, but it was half-hearted. She coughed a bit. "Not feeling well. See you guys at lunch, okay?" 

Rukawa felt like all his insides had suddenly been sucked into nothingness. Sendoh? Worse yet, _she _asked him?! 

Rukawa was too stunned to realise that Yohei had noticed him standing there, and was looking at him with a strange expression on his face. 

His legs acting automatically, Rukawa lugged himself to class, where Sakura was already in her seat, half-sprawled across her desk and snoring slightly. Rukawa carefully walked behind her to settle into his seat. Her eyes were twitching behind their closed lids. 

_You asked Sendoh?_

What started out as another _bad _mood jump-started by jealousy soon developed into the depression of disappointment. Rukawa most certainly handled depression better than he did anger, because while anger required him to release the tension (sometimes violently), depression only required him to hide behind a icy mask, which was what he was best at. 

As lunch break arrived, Sakura was poked awake by another student. She smacked her lips a bit, lifted her body up and trudged out the door like a particularly sleepy orang-utan. Not once did she look at him. No usual glare, no annoyed grunt, nothing. 

_Like I don't exist._

Rukawa started to walk to the roof for another nap when he felt something, or someone, tap against his back. He turned. 

"Rukawa-kun?" 

_Not you again._

"I was just wondering… Well, that is… Are you going to the ball?" Blush blush. 

Rukawa looked at her. Sakura liked this little thing, right? He could never quite figure out the reason for that, though he had tried. Haruko was so… flat. (Not in that way, idiots!) She didn't have the life that Sakura had. No fire. He loved that fire. 

Why hadn't Sakura asked Haruko to the ball? Oh wait, Haruko liked _him_. Hmph. That was when he got the idea. Well, if Sakura could make _his _life a hell by going with Sendoh, he could make _hers _just as bad by going with Haruko. 

So Rukawa said, "Do you want to go with me?" 

Haruko fainted. Rukawa took that as a yes and went off for his nap.   
  
***** 

The evening of the ball finally arrived. Haruko was getting ready with her friends Fuji and Akemi at her house. Sakura had been given an invitation to join, but declined as she wasn't really… well… in the mood for that kind of thing. She would have pretty much just thrown the dress on and gone straight to the ball, but her mother refused to let her do such nonsense. 

"You have very nice hair, Sakura," her mother told her as stuck another pin in the midst of red locks. 

"Hmph. You put any more gel in there and I can rival Sendoh." 

"Aaaah, he's such a nice boy," her mother said, nodding. "Very good looking." 

"Mom!" Sakura shrieked. The image of Sendoh appeared in her head. Good-looking, yeah, but not as good-looking as… Oh no, why did her mind _always _have to end up thinking about the stupid kitsune? It was like he had a magnet that constantly wired her thoughts towards him. 

"You know, you never did tell me what you did to your hair." 

"It just went red." 

"Just went red?" 

"Hai." 

"Like that business with your new name?" 

"Exactly." 

"Oh well, if you say so." Her mother stepped back. "Finished." 

Sakura stood up, picked up her handbag and lumbered to the door. 

Her mother frowned. "Aren't you even going to look?" 

"No." Sakura started down the stairs, feet awkwardly managing each step as best as they could. Haruko had convinced her to get heels, but very short ones as there wasn't much point in increasing Sakura's height, even if Sendoh was still much taller than her. She headed to the living room. 

Sendoh, in full dashing tuxedo-ish garb, looked at her and his eyes immediately lit up. "You look—" 

"Don't even bother," Sakura grumbled. She grabbed his arm and half-dragged him to the door. "Mom, we're going!" 

"Have fun, kiddies!" 

***** 

The ball was successful in that everyone present seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was held in the ballroom of some hotel or the other – didn't really matter much as long as the setting was nice and the food digestible. But the main reason people were there was for the mingling, which was what everyone did. 

Haruko was having the time of her life. She clung onto Rukawa's arm like he was some extremely rare treasure (which he was, really), the girlish pride within her enjoying every single dirty glare she got from jealous schoolmates. 

But her date, Rukawa, was bored out of his skull. After picking her up from her house, he had barely spoken to her at all. and once they had arrived he had drifted off quite a few times, but Haruko didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she was deriving insane happiness just from being able to stand or sit next to him all the time. 

Rukawa was just about to fall asleep again when his Sakura alarm went off. 

"Sakura-chan, you look great!" Haruko exclaimed, increasing the distance between her and Rukawa just by barely a few inches in order to greet the new arrivals. 

It was a pity that Rukawa barely speaks, because at that moment the effect of going totally speechless would have had more impact. 

"So do you, Haruko-san," said Sakura, nodding. "Told you the soft brown suited your skin better." 

Her escort nodded at him. "Rukawa." 

Rukawa narrowed his eyes. _Sendoh._

Sendoh's eyes seemed to say: _You shouldn't have stalled._

"I'm glad the dark blue turned out well," Haruko said. "It's quite hard to find an outfit that won't clash with your hair." 

"Ah well," Sakura half-shrugged. (Shall I describe the dress? Yes? Prussian blue soft velvet form-fitting backless halter-top with ankle-length skirt and tiny silver flowers at the hem. I want.) 

"Sakura-chan!" Takamiya practically fell onto her, causing Sakura to start swatting at him rapidly with her handbag. The rest of the gundam were also suddenly in the scene. "And hello Sennnnndoh," Takamiya added. 

"Hello, Sendoh!" Noma and Ohkosu chorused knowingly. 

Sendoh grinned. "Hey." Rukawa's scowl intensified. 

"You look great, Sakura!" Ohkosu said. "So do you, Haruko-chan." 

Haruko smiled. "Thanks. You enjoying yourselves, guys?" They nodded. 

"Wait 'til the dancing starts, then you'll see us in _action_," Takamiya said, grinning broadly. 

Yohei smiled up at Sendoh. "I would've thought you'd be busy, with university and whatever." 

"Oh, of course I'd spare time to accompany Sakura," Sendoh said happily. "Quite a nice set-up you Shohoku have here." 

Yohei did exaggerated look-over for Sakura. "Man, you look great." Sakura smiled, but didn't say anything. Yohei then continued, "You look so great, I'm actually feeling pretty silly that I didn't ask you to the ball myself." 

Sendoh laughed. "That's what happens when you assume so much." 

Yohei grinned, eyes flicking to Rukawa for a mili-second. "Exactly." 

"Guys, I need a drink, where's the refreshments table?" Sakura asked. 

"This way," Noma said, as the gundam started pushing her in a direction. 

"See you, Sakura-chan!" Haruko called as Sakura was swept away. 

Sendoh grinned. "Great meeting you, Haruko-san. You too, Rukawa." He turned and walked away. 

Haruko linked her arm into Rukawa's, no matter that Rukawa's arm was actually just calmly stuffed into his pants pocket. She looked up at him. "You okay, Rukawa? You look like you swallowed a lemon." 

Rukawa shrugged and started walking in another direction, forcing Haruko to follow him wordlessly. 

In the depths of his mind, he was cursing wildly. Sakura hadn't _once _give him a dirty look because his date was Haruko. She hadn't even _looked _at him. Damn damn damn damn damn. 

***** 

When the dancing started, Sakura had immediately dragged Sendoh away from the crowd in case they were forced onto the floor. Sakura may be a smooth sailing point guard on the court, but when it came to dancing she was worse than a frog with two left feet. 

They took refuge on a balcony outside the ballroom, away from the hubbub. Sakura immediately turned her face up to look up at the clear night sky. 

"Why did you ask me?" Sendoh asked her after a while of silence. 

Sakura looked at him. "Because I know you're a friend and wouldn't take this the wrong way." 

"You could have gone stag." 

Sakura shrugged. 

Sendoh inched a little closer toward her, but not for naughty purposes, mind you. "What's wrong? You haven't called yourself the tensai all night, and that's a sure sign something's wrong." 

She sighed. "It's stupid." 

"Not as much as keeping it to yourself." 

Sakura looked at her hands, then at the sky, then back at her hands. "I think I'm… Well…" She blushed. 

"In love?" 

Sakura sputtered. 

"Yes, it's that obvious, but only because I know you better than most other people bother to," Sendoh said. "Is it Haruko?" 

Sakura looked at him in surprise. "No." 

Sendoh's mouth twitched into a smile. "Rukawa?" 

"Nani?! How did you—Oh no, it really _is _that obvious, I'm going to kill myself, does everybody know and now how can I play—" 

Sendoh shut her up with a light smack at the back of her neck. "No, it's not that obvious, because no one else would be willing to believe such a thing. Everyone _knows _you're rivals and that you hate each other, such a thing would be impossible." 

"Then how do you?" 

"Hate is the opposite pole to love, and just as attractive." (This quote belongs to Terry Pratchett, word!) "And not to mention _you _came back from the dead in a girl's body, so who's to say what's impossible?" 

Sakura went quiet. 

Sendoh nudged her in the shoulder. "Aren't you going to tell him?" 

"Nani?! Peh, never! Never never! I have my pride!" 

"Is pride worth losing something like this?" 

"Baka. When did you get all philosophical?" 

"I think it's all the chemicals in my hair seeping into my brain. Happens sometimes." 

Sakura frowned. "No. I'll never tell him." 

"Because of pride?" 

"No!" Sakura snapped. "Because _Haruko _likes him! She liked him since long before, and she's confessed her feelings to me in my confidence as her friend." She paused, then added softly, "I'd rather quit basketball than betray her." 

Sendoh was surprised at this. "Because of Haruko…?" 

"She is my friend, and I care about her very much," said Sakura. "She's very sweet and nice, and I'm sure she can make Rukawa happy, once he realises all that. I mean, look at me. What have I got to offer him? I'm an idiot, a do'aho as he keeps calling me. Do you have any idea, _any _idea, how much I _hate _myself?" 

Sendoh smiled gently. "There's nothing to hate. That's why you keep calling yourself the tensai, isn't it? It's your way of hiding your low self-esteem. See, you are like Rukawa, he hides his feelings, too." 

"Shut up, Sendoh." She took a deep breath and sighed. "I've made up my mind. I'll just ignore him, put everything I have into basketball, win nationals, then… then… life goes on." 

Sendoh cocked his head. "What if Rukawa likes you?" 

Sakura snorted. "Fat chance in hell." 

"I mean, _what if_?" 

She tapped her forehead. "Error. Error. Cannot compute." 

"Remember the keychain—" 

"Don't even start with that damn keychain! I hope whoever left it there has a slow and painful death." 

Sendoh went quiet for a while. "You are a do'aho." 

"Hmph. It's not the same coming from you. I've had enough. Take me home, Sendoh." 

"Are you sure—" 

"Don't you _dare _try to talk sense to me!" Sakura snapped. "If you won't take me home, I'll get a cab. And if you open your mouth about this to anyone, I will duct tape your entire body and use you to sweep the basketball gym!" 

Sendoh stared. "My lips are sealed." 

"You swear? You will tell NO ONE, but any means vocal or written. No exceptions, all of the above et cetera et cetera?" 

Sendoh sighed. "I swear." 

"Good. Now take me home." 

***** 

History likes things to be neat. (Oops, another Terry Pratchett quote.) 

Sakura had made Sendoh swear not tell anyone about her confession, which had put a stopper on his intention to tell Rukawa absolutely everything. An immediate happy ending didn't look to be in the near future to the hopeless romantic within Sendoh, but a promise was a promise, even if it was a stupid one. 

But, as anyone who's ever seen anything remotely soap-opera-ish would know, a conversation as revealing as the one above would need an unknown witness, someone who had innocently walked past the balcony at just the right time and overheard from just the right point, and was conveniently involved in said silly story. 

So who better than madame Haruko herself? 

Haruko watched in stunned silence as Sakura and Sendoh left the ball. Her eyes moved to her table, where Rukawa was sleeping, as some random girls tried to get his attention in order to drag him to the dance floor. 

_Sakura's in love with Rukawa?___

_She won't tell him because of me?___

_She wants me to be with him?___

_Oh my goodness…_

***** 

Later that night, Rukawa was back in his apartment, alone. He was still dressed in the tuxedo, and was staring at a letter in front of him that had arrived by courier a few weeks ago.   


_To: Rukawa Kaede.___

_It has come to our attention that you are graduating from Shohoku High in four week's time. Our offer to you to rejoin the All-Japan basketball team is still open, although you have not replied to our previous inquiries. This shall be our last letter of offer; we shall need a reply by the 21st of October after which this offer will be null and void.___

_Dial the number of the All-Japan Osaka main office printed below to accept or refuse. If you ignore this letter, it shall automatically be considered a refusal.___

_We hope you will make the right decision._   


Rukawa's hand went to the phone. 


	5. Part 5

  
**Ore Wa Tensai Sakura: Last Chance**   
Part 5 

by Annie D   
the_80s_chick@lycos.com 

  
  


"You're leaving for the All-Japan team?" Haruko asked in disbelief. 

"Good move, Captain," said Nori. "When will you be leaving?" 

"The 25th," Rukawa said. 

"Two days after the national game!" Haruko exclaimed. "So soon?" 

Rukawa nodded. 

"It's a good move for you, Captain," said Nakajima, patting him on the shoulder. 

"Never should've left the team in the first place, I say," Nori muttered. 

Shun, a freshman who didn't know the whole story, leaned close to Nori. "Why did he leave again?" 

Haruko pressed her hands to her mouth in horror. _Oh no oh no oh no! _Her eyes moved from Rukawa, who went to show Anzai-sensei the letter of confirmation, to Sakura who was underneath one of the hoops practising her lay-ups. 

They pair had ignored each other in class and in practice ever since the ball. Haruko had watched them both, debating with herself over and over whether she should tell Rukawa about what she had heard, and such internal debates caused her to stall and stall and stall. She also knew that Sakura would kill her if she knew that she had overheard the conversation, and she had no idea how Rukawa would react. If he reacted negatively Sakura would get _majorly _upset, and not to mention… 

Sakura had said: _I'm sure she can make Rukawa happy._

Haruko, who had had the crush on Rukawa for what seemed like _forever_, was truly touched that Sakura had said so about her. Haruko truly wanted to make Rukawa happy, more than anything in the world, and if she could do that, she would try her best. 

But the real question was whether Sakura could make him happier. 

And then there was this. Rukawa was leaving again. And so soon! There would be no hope for either of them if Rukawa left. Sakura would be angry no matter which way Rukawa responded, because he was leaving anyway, and and and and… 

_I don't know what to do!_

***** 

"What?" Sakura half-snapped. 

"Nothing," Haruko said quickly, turning away. 

Sakura sighed. "Sorry, Haruko-san, I didn't mean to sound so mean. It's just that, you know, the final game is so close…" 

"Yes, I understand," Haruko said. At her sides, her little fists were clenching and unclenching themselves quietly. She took another moment to stall, looking around the cafeteria as though in doing so she'd be able to figure out what to say. "So… is class okay?" 

Sakura looked at her. "Err. Yeah. Why?" 

"Oh no, no reason," Haruko said. "I just wanted to ask about Rukawa—" 

Sakura's face changed. It drew inward and stilled, as though something deep within her had suddenly been switched off. "Hm?" 

Haruko bit her lower lip. "Nothing. Never mind." In the background, the school bell rang. 

"I guess I better go," Sakura said, standing up. "See you in practice." 

"Ja ne." Haruko slowly got to her feet as Sakura was already walking off in the distance. Haruko was just gathering her little notepad when she felt somebody tapping her shoulder. She turned, and saw Yohei. "Yohei-kun." 

"Haruko-chan, what's been bothering you?" Yohei asked, his face full of concern. 

Haruko blinked rapidly. "I… I…" She backed away. "I can't talk about it, I'm sorry!" She sped off in a panic. 

_I can't keep this to myself, but I can't tell anyone either! _She ran up the stairs and down the third year corridor, taking a moment to look into Rukawa and Sakura's class, where both of them were sitting calmly in their own seats and pointedly acting as though the other didn't exist.   
It was true that Rukawa and Sakura were two sides of the same coin, alike in many ways. One of the shared traits they had, unfortunately, was that they were both totally and utterly clueless. One would think that two people, who were so mad about each other, sitting next to each other for a week straight, would at least notice _something_. 

But they refused to even acknowledge each other, let alone take notice of the other's mannerisms. They had simply shut off their worlds from one another. 

***** 

The final game of nationals had arrived at last. Shohoku's opponent was Rokin, the defending national champions, and the team that had beat them in the Inter High the previous year. 

Both Rukawa and Sakura decided to put aside their feelings for an hour, because the game was _It_. They would play as a team, and win. And with all the adrenaline and rushing blood in their veins as the game spun around them, they couldn't really think about anything else. 

It was a gruelling game as expected, and Rukawa played his heart out because it was the game he'd been waiting for, and the reason (or one of the reasons) that he had left the All-Japan team. In the first few minutes Rokin had continuously underestimated Sakura, but her incredible stamina worked to her advantage as she continuously made steals with her now very refined point guard skills. 

Then they were down to the last 3 minutes, and the score was 62 to 59, Rokin's favour, and currently their ball. 

"We take our time," Rukawa told his players. "They take advantage by making us rush, but the pressure is on them." 

Shun wheezed a bit. "They're so tall, it's hard to keep up." 

"Baka!" Sakura snapped, thumping Shun on the head. "Height – ppbfft – what advantage? It's skill that counts! We take our TIME, GOT IT?!" 

Nakajima, Nori and Shun shouted one loud, "Hai!" 

Sakura looked at Rukawa and nodded. They spread out onto court. 

(Play by play, so watch out!) 

Rokin's ball. 14 made a high pass to 6, but Nori jumped to block the shot, sending it slamming down hard against the floor. It bounced up. 

Sakura jumped for it, a half-second before Rokin captain Hashima did. 

In the audience, the old Shohoku team gathering of Ryota, Ayako, Akagi, Mitsui and Kogure watched the game with near heart-attack interest. 

"The Sakura jump!" Ryota shouted. 

"Hashima's too tall!" Akagi roared. 

Sakura's eyes widened. She was closer to the ball, and would easily tap it first, but with Hashima's extra height he'd able to catch it as it flew toward him. Mid-air, she changed the direction of her hand, then tapped. 

"Backwards tap?!" Kogure shouted. 

The ball sailed backward, and was caught by Rukawa, who then started dribbling fast to the hoop. "Take our time," he said to the trio of Nakajima, Nori and Shun that had flanked him quickly. Sakura ran after them as the rest of the Rokin players moved for zone defense under the hoop and some major smackdown jumping. 

Rukawa leaned back and made a toss – but not at the hoop. 

Akagi's eyes popped. "Fake?" 

Shun got the ball and moved to the other side of the hoop zone. He passed to Sakura, who passed back to Nori, who passed to Rukawa, who passed back to Shun. 

Hashima frowned. "What are they doing?" 

Shun raised his arms – overzealous 8 and 6 jumped to block – but it was a fake and it went to Rukawa, who has also jumped with perfect timing – he caught the ball midair and shot swiftly from behind the three-point line. 

Kogure jumped to his feet. "Too far!" 

The ball had barely managed to bounce off the rim before Nakajima's hand appeared out of nowhere to complete the dunk. The audience roared. 

"Where did he come from?" Ryota shouted. 

"Element of distraction and putting pressure on the opposite team," explained Kogure. "Shohoku isn't afraid to take their time, which is what separates them from Rokin. With someone like Rukawa as captain, it's easy to be cool under pressure." 

Ayako glanced at the scoreboard. "One point behind, less than two minutes to go." 

"Defense, Shohoku!" Haruko shouted from the bench. _Please, Rukawa-kun… Rokin is losing concentration. All we need is one more shot, and we can win!_

Rokin 6 tried to pass to 14, but Sakura tapped their ball in the pass, and Nori caught it. He bounced it for a moment, then passed to Rukawa, who headed for the hoop. The Rokin players started to scatter in a slight panic. 

Rukawa jumped to dunk, but Hashima jumped to defend. Rukawa then did his change-direction-in-midair trick, and slid past Hashima's arm, only to find that Rokin 8 was there waiting for him and swiftly blocked the ball. 

All of them landed. Rukawa scowled. 

Rokin 8 grinned, but it quickly disappeared when he saw that the one who caught the ball was not one of his teammates, but Sakura. She quickly made a blind backward pass to Shun, who jumped and made the shot. Hashima realised in horror that Shun was behind the three-point line. _Swish!_

"We're leading! 64 to 62!" Ayako screamed, bouncing up and down in her seat. 

"42 seconds left," Mitsui muttered, a little hard on breathing. 

Kogure nodded and said softly, "They can do it." 

On the court, the ball was passed around. Rokin then went in for the final attack – their posture said clearly: _now or never_. 

"Fish-boy, stop him!" Sakura shouted. 

Nori tried to block, but Rokin 8 dribbled around him and passed to Rokin 12. To be more accurate, he only _thought _he did, because Rukawa – with apparent superhuman abilities – was suddenly in front of Rokin 12 with the ball in his hands. 

Ryota tugged at his hair frantically. Being in the audience was different from being on the court, especially when the team you're supporting was your own. "Steal! Shohoku! Shohoku!" 

Rukawa dribbled swiftly toward his hoop. 

Sakura ran after him, shouting, "Rukawa, don't play macho! We don't need to rush, we're leading! Hey, stop it! Stop it!" 

Rukawa being Rukawa, made the shot anyway. 

Ayako started wheezing. "66 to 62. 21 seconds left." 

In the stands the Rukawa brigade started cheering. Next to them, the newly formed Sakura brigade started shouting at them. There was a moment of stillness as they looked at each other, and then simultaneously both sides started a manic cheering competition. 

Rukawa gave Sakura a sideways look. She snorted, then turned away, muttering, "Stupid kitsune…" 

Rokin's ball. They started passing frantically, but had just about lost most of the coordination that was their trademark. They hadn't expected Shohoku to catch up suddenly and with so little time left. Rokin 6 then got the ball and jumped to shoot. 

Rukawa suddenly appeared in front of him, arm outstretched. Rokin 6 panicked momentarily but made the fade-away shot. Rukawa's fingertips just managed to graze the bottom of the ball. 

"Rebound!" Akagi shouted. 

Nakajima got the ball, beating Hashima and Rokin 12. He landed with a loud slam. 

The buzzer screeched in the background. 

"Game end! Shohoku wins 66 to 62!" 

Old Shohoku cheered. The gundam cheered. Both the Rukawa brigade and the Sakura brigade started to hug each other admist cheers before realising who they were and quickly separating into different celebration crowds. 

The rest of the Shohoku team, plus Haruko, ran out onto court to cheer with the players. 

Captain Rukawa Kaede just looked at the floor. 

_We won. We're national champions.___

_We did it._

A ghost of a smile just barely touched his lips before disappearing. He started to walk away to the bench to get his towel when he felt a hand clasping over his wrist. 

He turned, and found himself looking into the face of a gently smiling Sakura, whose own eyes were glistening with tears. Without saying a word, she suddenly jerked at his arm, pulling him close and into a soft hug. 

Rukawa was shocked at first, but then leaned into the hug, eyes closing partially. _We won, Sakura._

Sakura then pulled away and laughed before thumping him on the back. "Not bad work, captain! Although you wouldn't have done it without the tensai. And what, did you think you could run off without celebrating with the rest of us, hmm? We're a team, remember, you baka!" 

There was a mesh of hugs and tears on the court, the like of which that Rukawa had never experienced before. Truly, he had never felt more proud of an accomplishment before in his life. This was what basketball was all about. 

He looked at Sakura, who was jumping up and down with Haruko. 

_I'm going to miss you, do'aho._

***** 

_My bags are packed, I'm ready to go… _(sorry, couldn't resist.) 

Rukawa lifted the last of his suitcases into the boot of the taxi cab, then closed it with a soft click. He shut his eyes briefly and sighed. He was doing it, he was really doing it. _All-Japan, here I come. Again. It's my fault, really, for not telling Sakura when I had the chance. I'm an idiot. Ah well, if Sendoh makes her happy, what can I do? _He sighed. 

"You were a great captain, Rukawa-san," said Nakajima. The rest of the team, plus Haruko and the gundam (for some strange reason) had gathered outside his apartment to see him off to the airport. Sakura, however, had not. He told himself it was for the best. 

"Hai," chorused the rest of the team. 

"You're national champions now. That's really… something," Yohei said, feeling a little embarrassed that he wasn't able to come up with a better word. "You must be so proud." 

Rukawa nodded. 

"Sakura's sorry she couldn't see you off," added Yohei. "But she said she's busy and had something else to do. She wishes you good luck, though." 

"I believe she also said, 'Just because you're on the All-Japan team doesn't mean you're better than the tensai'. I think," added Takamiya. 

Rukawa nodded a thank you, then bowed in front of all of them. They bowed in return, then stood back as he entered the taxi cab. 

Haruko, who had been silent the whole while, suddenly shrieked, "Wait!" 

Rukawa looked up. 

The girl ran to his window. He rolled down the window and watched dispassionately as her fingers gripped the glass nervously. Her eyes were darting this way and that, as though she had some sort of internal dilemma. 

_Oh, just tell me you like me and get on with it. I've got a plane to catch. _Rukawa sighed. 

"Rukawa-kun," Haruko said slowly. "There's something I need to tell you…" 

***** 

People could make jokes that the reason Sakura liked sunsets was because her hair was red, but she didn't mind. They could make fun of sunsets all they wanted, because it was just ridiculous that something so beautiful would bother with what anyone had to say about it. Which kind of mirrored the attitude she had towards criticism on her own self, although she didn't look at it that way. 

She sighed. 

Shohoku had won nationals, and were now the best team in the country. The enormity of the accomplishment was too big for even her to comprehend properly just yet, Maybe in a few days or weeks after the newspaper articles and interviews had all passed, she'd finally be able to really understand what that meant. 

School was over. Basketball was over. Rukawa was gone. 

She sighed again and kicked off her shoes to toe the sand. She'd forget him. Sure she could. She had to believe she could, or she'd go nuts. Not that she wasn't nuts already, but the other sort of nuts was a different kind, a more dangerous kind. Maybe if she started hating him again, things would settle down. 

Sure, she could hate him again. If she kept telling herself that over and over, she might be able to believe it. And if she started believing it, the memory would fade and… Life would go on. Things would go back to normal. Yes, the tensai shall overcome. 

A screech of burnt tire behind her made her turn. 

_Oh. I'm hallucinating._

She shrugged. _Well, if being nuts means I'll see Rukawa practically jump out a taxi and start running toward me as though his pants were on fire, I guess being nuts is not so bad. Oh cool, this hallucination looks really real. Hmm, I should make a note of this and—_

Sakura landed with her back on the sand, the definite _real _weight of a body on top of her. 

She blinked, then reached up a hand to poke Rukawa in the cheek. "Real?" 

Rukawa nodded. 

"Don't you have a plane to catch?" 

Another nod. 

"So what are you doing here?" 

"Do'aho." 

"Teme kitsune!" 

And there it was, the whole enchilada: fireworks, blood-pounding explosions et cetera - the reality of the first kiss between two people who were mad about each other. Sakura, who had used her head as a weapon on people and stationary objects without much trouble throughout her life, discovered for the first time what it felt like to almost pass out. 

Rukawa pulled away. "Baka." 

Sakura heaved for breath, then shrieked. "You're smiling? You're smiling! I didn't know your facial muscles could _do _that!" 

"I gave you the keychain." 

"Oh." Her rather slow brain caught up on current events. "Oh!" 

He nodded. 

Sakura smiled a little sadly. "You still have to go." 

"You will write to me." 

"Hah! What makes you think I'll do that?" 

"Because I love you." 

Sakura's mouth opened and closed in shock. The action drew Rukawa's attention to her lips, so he kissed her again. 

"Gerroff!" 

"Hm." 

"Yeah, I love you, too." 

"So you will write." 

"You write to me first." 

"Hai." 

And they fell silent, just looking at each other and smiling wordlessly. 

"So… You gotta go now." 

He nodded, but didn't move. 

"Go, you baka!" She shoved him off her. "And play hard, but don't let that ego of yours get any bigger that it already is." 

He ruffled her hair. "Hm." 

"Go. Go, go, go!" She kicked him in the shins until he got the idea and started to leave. He did walk back to the taxi, but backward, as though he wanted to keep his eyes on her for as long as he could. Finally his back bumped against the car and he stood there for a moment. Then slowly, he entered the vehicle and shut the door. 

Sakura waved. "Ja ne." 

He waved back. The taxi drove off. 

Sakura quietly watched the vehicle disappear into the distance. Then she raised both her fists to the sky, squealed at the top of her voice, then did a crazy little happy dance while laughing maniacally. 

Last chance, indeed.   


FIN 

  



End file.
